Bugs and spiders in Pennsylvania

What to watch for in Pennsylvania

Both black widows live here. A bite from an adult female of either kind can cause strong, spreading muscle pain and cramps, so get medical advice right away if you think you were bitten. Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 is available if you are worried. The brown widow has a few records but is not known to be established in Pennsylvania, and it is easy to confuse with a young black widow.

Ticks are established too: the blacklegged tick, the American dog tick, the lone star tick and the brown dog tick. The blacklegged tick can spread Lyme disease and several other serious infections, the American dog tick can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia, and the lone star tick is linked to alpha-gal syndrome. Take ticks off promptly. Bed bugs and several cockroaches are Common indoors, and yellowjackets and European paper wasps are the usual stingers.

Through the year

Spring

Eastern carpenter bees and black carpenter ants become active, American dog ticks peak in late spring, and spotted lanternfly nymphs hatch from late April.

Summer

Lanternfly adults arrive in July, and black widows are seen most in late spring, summer and fall.

Fall

Boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles, brown marmorated stink bugs and greenhouse millipedes are the main invaders, and yellow garden spiders are most noticeable then.

Winter

Greenhouse camel crickets and house centipedes are the steady winter finds, with a few stink bugs and lady beetles on warm days.